m1 - the food on your plate

nutrition

study of the interaction between nutrients, the bodies function, and health

nutrient

a substance that the body requires for energy, regulation of body processes, and structure

essential nutrient

must be acquired by diet

non-essential nutrient

body can make it in adequate amounts

calorie

scientific unit used to measure energy – the calories used to make food energy are actually kilocalories (kcal)

what are the two broad classes of nutrients?

• nutrients that provide energy

• nutrients that don’t provide energy but do assist with regulating money processes and providing structure

what are the four macro nutrients?

carbohydrates, fat, protein, water

what are the two micro nutrients?

vitamins and minerals

which nutrients provide energy?

• carbohydrates (4 kcal/g; provides energy)

• lipids (9 kcal/g; provides and stores energy)

• protein (4 kcal/g; promotes growth and maintenance)

which nutrient support metabolism?

• vitamines (0 kcal/g; regulates biochemical reactions and antioxidants)

• minerals (0 kcal/g; regulate biochemical reactions and provides structure)

• water (0 kcal/g; regulates temperature and provides lubrication)

what’s special about alcohol?

alcohol is not a nutrient, but it supplies calories

carbohydrates

• primary function: provide energy

• includes sugars, starches, and fibers

• composition: carbon, oxygen, and hydrogen

• provides 4 kcal per gram

lipids (fats)

• primary function: provide long term energy; involved with structure and regulation

• includes triglycerides, phospholipids, and sterols

• composition: carbon, oxygen, and hydrogen (contains two times as many hydrogen atoms as carbohydrates)

• common food sources: oils and butters

• provides 9 kcal per gram

protein

• primary function: support growth; maintenance and repair of tissue

• composition: carbon, oxygen, hydrogen, and nitrogen

• provides 4 kcal per gram

how do you calculate calories in your food?

multiply the amount of grams of each by their respective kcal/g amount

micronutrients

• support metabolism

• minerals and vitamins assist in the release of energy from macronutrients

metabolism

• biochemical activity that occurs in cells

• release energy from nutrients; etc

• uses energy to create other substances (ex: making proteins)

vitamins

organic nutrients required in small amounts to maintain normal body function

• either fat soluble or water soluble

fat soluble

• do not dissolve in water

• can be stored in the body for long periods of time

• do not need to be consumed daily

water soluble

• dissolve in water

• not stored in body - excreted mostly through urine

minerals

inorganic compounds necessary for structure and regulating processes in the body

• macromineral, micromineral, electrolyte

macromineral (major elements)

required by the body in a amount equal to or an excess of 100 mg per day

micromineral (trace elements)

required for the body in amounts less than 100 mg per day

electrolyte

mineral that assumes charge when dissolved in water

• includes sodium, potassium, and chloride

vitamins and minerals table?

lots of stuff

alcohol

• provides 7 kcal/g

• yields energy, but has no function in body

phytochemicals

• are not classified as nutrients

• are chemical compounds in plants that have various effects on body functions

• play an important role in health

• “super food”

what are common reasons we make the food choices that we do?

taste, finances, convenience, environment, culture, family, media, age, health issues

how do the food choices we make influence our health?

Malnutrition

malnutrition

poor nutrient status

• undernutrition or overnutrition

• some may have both

undernutrition

inadequate amounts of specific nutrients

overnutrition

too much of a specific nutrient

what are examples of diseases strongly linked to nutrition?

osteoporosis, diverticulosis, obesity, heart, disease, diabetes, and cancer

• dietary manipulation may help treat the individual

what is the role of the government in nutrition?

• Recommended Dietary Allowances (RDA’s) - created in 1941 In response to poor nutrition, status of men drafted for World War II

• National Academy of Sciences expanded these recommendations; created Dietary Reference Intakes (DRI’s), which now include limits of nutrient intake

what are other roles of government in nutrition?

u.s. dept. of agriculture (usda) & u.s. dept. of health and human services (hhs)

• dietary guidelines for americans: published in 1980 for diet and lifestyle recommendations

• expanded food and nutrition education program (efnep): usda funded; education to assist in improving diet and lifestyle

• special supplemental nutrition program for women, infants, and children (wic): improve nutrition during pregnancy, infancy, and childhood

what’s a worldwide nutrition problem?

undernutrition

undernutrition

inadequate nutrition resulting from lack of food or failure of the body to absorb or digest nutrients properly

• can occur worldwide

• most prominent in sub-saharan africa and asia

what are the nutrients most likely to be deficient in diets?

protein, iron, iodine, vitamin A, zinc

causes of undernutrition

• biological: inadequate intake and frequent infections

• societal: limited access to food, civil conflict, overpopulation

who’s at the greatest risk for undernutrition?

pregnancy and lactating women and children

how does nutrition fall with other sciences?

it’s a young science

nutrigenomics

newly emerging integrated science

• Study of how dietary compounds ultra the expression and/or structure of an individual genetic makeup; thus affecting their health and risk of disease

whom are we to believe about nutrition advice?

• Expert in nutrition is someone with an advanced degree and credentials in the field, such as a master of science or doctoral degree in nutrition

• A registered dietitian (Someone who completed a degree in dietetics in nutrition from an acre university, an accredited, internship experience, or past national examination to earn his credentials)

• Reputable, peer reviewed nutrition journals (Journal of clinical nutrition)

how are nutrition recommendations developed?

• scientific method: Observation, hypothesis, experiment, theory

• Gold standard clinical research studies: Experimental group, control group, placebo, double blind, randomized

how are nutrition recommendations developed?

Be careful of:

• Claims that sound too good to be true

• Promises made if you purchased their product

• Do not include references to research

• anecdotal claims